The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 65

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 65
Namgung Ryu-cheong muttered under his breath.
“…You’re really strange.”
For some reason, Namgung Ryu-cheong wore a sullen expression. His pale cheeks, now free of bruises after several days, puffed out petulantly.
‘How adorable…!’
I squirmed in my seat and couldn’t help but speak.
“Can I touch your cheek just once?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong refused firmly.
“No.”
“Hmph.”
“Don’t make strange sounds.”
“Heng.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong couldn’t help but glare at me.
“Fine. Let’s read now. If there’s something you want to see, go ahead. You can turn pages with one hand anyway.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong sighed and went off to find a book worth reading.
I watched him walk between the shelves with an upright posture, examining the books, before opening a volume myself.
* * *
After becoming deeply absorbed for a time, there comes a moment when concentration wanes and the mind scatters. Having read a book filled with difficult characters for the first time in ages, that moment arrived quickly.
As I closed the book and lifted my head, I saw Namgung Ryu-cheong seated across from me. Staring blankly at him, I soon realized something was amiss.
Namgung Ryu-cheong’s gaze drifted through empty space rather than following the open pages before him. He didn’t even notice I was watching him.
After observing this for a moment, I opened my mouth.
“Young Master, Young Master Namgung.”
At the sound of my voice, Namgung Ryu-cheong seemed to snap back to awareness.
“What?”
“You were staring blankly. Are you tired?”
“No. It’s nothing.”
“If something’s troubling you, tell me. I might be able to help.”
“You?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong frowned as if the idea were absurd.
“Well, suit yourself then.”
I shrugged and stretched languidly.
‘Come to think of it, how much time has passed? It feels like I should be leaving soon.’
Then Namgung Ryu-cheong, who had been silent, spoke.
“You know…”
“Hmm?”
“What Seo Ha-ryeong said last time…”
Namgung Ryu-cheong closed his mouth again.
I waited for him to speak once more.
“Is it true that you told her about the technique I fell for when I sparred with her?”
When did Seo Ha-ryeong say such a thing? Ah!
‘…You even taught Namgung Ryu-cheong his sword technique weaknesses!’
That’s what Seo Ha-ryeong had said on the day Namgung Ryu-cheong went to apologize to her.
I bobbed my head in agreement.
“That’s right. I taught him.”
A flicker of suspicion crossed Namgung Ryu-cheong’s eyes.
“How? You haven’t even learned martial arts.”
“I just… showed him?”
“Showed him?”
“Yes.”
I decided to brazenly push forward.
‘It’s not even a lie, really.’
“How could you possibly do that?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong bit his lip, unconvinced.
“Well….”
Bang! That’s when the door suddenly burst open.
“There you are.”
Namgung Wan swept in with his robes billowing behind him, followed by Shim Bu-gwan.
“Shim Bu-gwan? When did you arrive?”
Weren’t you staying in Palgwae Village?
“It’s been a while. I arrived today.”
“Wonderful!”
“Ah, it seems only the young lady welcomes me so warmly.”
He was the man who had looked after me so carefully in Palgwae Village while Namgung Wan and my father were away. I could only remember him fondly.
Shim Bu-gwan smiled warmly and spoke.
“It seems you’re doing well, young lady. How are your eyes?”
“They’ve improved a lot!”
Bang bang. Just then came the sound of someone pounding on the door like breaking pottery.
“Save the tearful reunion for later! Baek Li-yeon, what are you doing here?”
“Pardon?”
“Why aren’t you coming for treatment!”
“Oh?”
I received treatment at the Medical Chamber every day at the appointed hour. Namgung Wan would check that my wounds weren’t festering and infuse his inner energy to help them heal faster.
“Has it already gotten that late?”
“Half a shichen has passed!”
“Oh, I’m so sorry!”
“When you didn’t show up, I went looking and found you weren’t in the Residence Quarter either!”
“Ha, please calm yourself, So Ga-ju. It’s fortunate we found her without incident.”
Shim Bu-gwan spoke soothingly to Namgung Wan, who shifted his glare from me to Namgung Ryu-cheong.
“But why are the two of you together?”
“Pardon?”
I found myself puzzled by his words.
‘What’s this? Doesn’t he know?’
Namgung Ryu-cheong kept his mouth firmly shut, his eyes cast downward.
Namgung Wan regarded Namgung Ryu-cheong with suspicion and cried out.
“Ryu-cheong, what are you up to now? Don’t tell me you’ve been tormenting Yeon again!”
Huh? Why was he reacting like this?
I looked between them in bewilderment. At Namgung Ryu-cheong’s continued silence, Namgung Wan raised his voice again.
“Has your mouth been sealed with glue? Why won’t you speak? Am I not asking you?”
“….”
“Fine. I’ll just ask Yeon directly!”
Namgung Wan clicked his tongue and turned to look at me.
“Has that fellow been tormenting you?”
…Honestly, I was the one doing the tormenting.
But why wasn’t Namgung Ryu-cheong saying anything? He just stood there with his lips sealed.
Even as Namgung Wan misunderstood the situation, Namgung Ryu-cheong kept his mouth shut, his gaze boring into the floor as if he could pierce through it.
I stepped forward in front of Namgung Wan, as if shielding Namgung Ryu-cheong.
“No, it’s not like that. The young master has been helping me.”
“What nonsense is that?”
“It’s true! The young master has been attending to me.”
“Attending? Him? Why?”
Namgung Wan’s expression showed he doubted his own ears. Honestly, I understood his reaction. I’d felt the same way when Namgung Ryu-cheong first offered to help.
I explained slowly.
“My hands are inconvenient, you see. So the young master offered to help me. And I wanted to visit the Jang-seo-gak, so the young master brought me here. Isn’t that right?”
“….”
I turned around and poked Namgung Ryu-cheong in the side.
“Isn’t it? Why won’t you say anything!”
Namgung Ryu-cheong averted his gaze from mine. Looking more closely, his ears and cheeks were flushed red.
‘Could it be… is he embarrassed?’
Namgung Wan’s voice softened slightly.
“Ryu-cheong, is what Yeon says true?”
With his lips pressed tightly together, Namgung Ryu-cheong spoke as if spitting out the words.
“…Yes.”
“Gasp!”
The sound came from Shim Bu-gwan.
Shim Bu-gwan continued.
“Then the rumors were true?”
“What rumors?”
“That the young master has been coming and going from Baek Li-yeon’s quarters.”
“Why didn’t I know about this?”
“No, So Ga-ju, please don’t look at me that way. I only just returned from Palgwae Village today. I only heard the servants speaking of this rumor on the way back, and I thought it was false, at that.”
Under Namgung Wan’s continued glare, Shim Bu-gwan continued speaking as if he were deeply wronged.
“Well, the last time he beat up the young master of the Jang family, you didn’t even visit him once, and yet… ahem.”
“Your mouth is a real problem.”
Only then did Namgung Wan turn his gaze away from Shim Bu-gwan.
‘The Jang family in this area—isn’t that the place? The one where that antagonist kept picking fights with Namgung Ryu-cheong?’
Namgung Wan, arms crossed, tapped his own arm with his fingers as he spoke.
“This is absurd. I wondered what wind had blown when he said he’d skip afternoon lessons for a while.”
Soon after, Namgung Wan waved his hand dismissively.
“Never mind, never mind. If you need someone to attend to you because of your hands, I’ll assign one of my careful servants to you, so don’t make Yeon worry unnecessarily and go do your duties.”
Since we had grown quite close by then, I kept my mouth shut while he spoke kindly on my behalf.
“It’s fine. Namgung Ryu-cheong takes good care of me.”
“Ha, what could a boy who’s been raised as a young master his whole life possibly do well at attending to someone?”
Well, honestly, Namgung Wan had a point.
Compared to my female servant and Yalyu, Namgung Ryu-cheong wasn’t great, but still—what was with that tone? Wasn’t he being too harsh on someone trying so hard?
I flared up and shouted.
“Why would you say it like that! What matters is the sincerity behind the gesture!”
“What? You’re taking his side after spending just a few days with him?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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